ConnecticutBob.Com is a modest blog on the internet since 2006. Progressive ideas are encouraged, and all politically-minded and reasonable people are welcome. America is the greatest country in the world, but we'll invade you if you disagree.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

My Brother's Keeper?

Once again, it's time for everyone to chill out on health reform. Last week, four people went into a room to talk. One, Chris Dodd, supported a public option, one was against a public option, one wanted anything that would get past the 60 vote filibuster so a bill could be signed, and a fourth couldn't be pinned down. When they walked out, a public option had survived -- a testimony to Sen. Dodd's persistence and negotiating skills. When a group of us met with him last month, he told us that he would be managing the floor debate as well.

Now, as predictable as the leaves falling in Connecticut, Joe LIEberman has thrust himself into the middle of the issue by whining about the public option. He doesn't know if he can support it, he may vote to support a filibuster, he'll say anything he needs to that will put him on the news. He's been out of it lately, and his ego just won't stand for toiling in Connecticut anonymity without a national audience.

For those who want to make Dodd responsible for LIEberman's behavior, I have a couple of questions:

Is Dick Durbin responsible for Roland Burris?

Is Tom Harkin responsible for Chuck Grassley?

Is Claire McCaskill responsible for Kit Bond?

Is Jon Tester responsible for Max Baucus?

Is Harry Reid responsible for John Ensign?

Is Bob Casey responsible for Arlen Specter?

Chris Dodd has his eyes on the big picture. I thought surely the public option was dead, and he's pulled it out. Until events prove otherwise, I'm going to hold my fire and believe "He's got it."

Last week two true patriots both Democratic congressmen demanded that Edolphus Townes head of the commitee investigating Countrywide's VIP program subpoena the exec's and documents involved. Mr. Townes has been stonewalling similar requests. Now that members in his own party have put country and ethics above partisian politics he has agreed to do so. The final chapter on Dodd's involvement and possible misconduct has not been written. The next year should be most interesting. Although in this "the most ethical congress ever" these investigations seem to go on and on (Rangel the tax cheat in charge of tax making policy). Again the parties in charge change but the song stays the same.

Anon - sadly, there's nobody paying us for writing this drivel, other than the very infrequent donations from obviously good-hearted and generous people (I'm told I need to purchase a tripod with a fluid head...apparently people are noticing my jerky camera work!)

We're doing this (well, I am anyway; I don't want to speak for Kirby) for reasons of civic duty and also for the sheer joy of it. We all want better government; this is our way of helping it along.

This is probably the most democratic (small "D") medium there is. ANYONE can be a blogger. If you don't like what you read here, you have the freedom to start your own blog and rail endlessly against everything that displeases you. It's a great release!

Nopartisan - I also would like to see whatever it will take to finally put the Countrywide issue to rest. But c'mon, you know that whatever Dodd or anyone else agrees to do, the Republicans aren't going to stop their hammering away about it. There's simply no possible way to satisfy them short of his retirement.

I have the Davis & Sanford Provista V12 tripod and it is awesome. Before that I had a rather inexpensive (i.e. cheap) tripod and people wondered whether I was coming down with some neurological disorder that causes hands to jerk unexpectedly.

RE: getting paid for blogging. I am always amazed when people think I'm making money off my blog. Because we do a lot of video for our blogs our costs are even higher than people that just sit down and write. I would be thrilled if someone sent me money but that has never happened so I am officially free to write, video and comment however I want which has its advantages.

I write here because Bob has been nice enough to give me the opportunity, and because I believe that democracy is participatory. As an RN, I have seen too much to sit back and not contribute to the solution for millions of Americans.